1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of managing HTML documents. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of highlighting certain parts of an HTML document based on an intended reader.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet or the World Wide Web (WWW) has become a very convenient and inexpensive resource for finding information about nearly every subject imaginable. Users can shop for merchandise, get stock quotes, tune into radio programs, chat with other users and engage in a host of other activities. The ever-increasing use of the Internet has been facilitated by the widespread availability of computer programs called Web browsers. A Web browser is a program that is used for establishing communication between two computers on a network using the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
In a typical transaction, a web browser transmits a request to download a document indicated by an address called a uniform resource locator (URL). The download request is routed through the Web until it reaches a web server indicated by the URL. The web server responds to the request by transmitting the indicated document, commonly called a “Web page,” back to the requesting computer.
Web pages are usually written using the hypertext mark up language (HTML) and often include links to other objects. For example, a web page may include links to one or more graphics objects that are to be downloaded and displayed with the web page. A web page may also include links to program code (e.g., Java code) that is to be downloaded and executed on the client computer when the web page is displayed. The downloaded code may be used to create a more interactive presentation, for example, by animating portions of the web page or by prompting for user input. A web page may also include pointers to plug-in modules that are expected to be resident in the client computer. Such program modules are commonly referred to as “plug-ins” and are generally used to extend the capabilities of the web browser. For example, a plug-in may be invoked to generate audio output, perform file translation and so forth.
With such ubiquitous use, it is not any surprise that document reviews are also conducted over the Internet. Presently, when a user desires to have a document reviewed over the Internet, the user has to post the document on a Web site. Then, the user has to send a note, electronic or otherwise, to the prospective reviewers detailing the address of the Web site where the document is posted. If the user wishes to have particular reviewers reviewing particular topics or sections of the document, the user has to so indicate in the note. Alternatively, the user may specify in the document itself what section each reviewer is to review.
Sometimes, instead of specifying in the document itself what section each reviewer is to review, the user creates as many copies of the document as there are different reviewers reviewing different sections. Each copy of the document is posted at a different Web site. The user then ensures that sections of a copy to be reviewed by a reviewer or reviewers blink when the copy is accessed indicating to the reviewer that only those sections need to be reviewed. This can be a rather daunting task. Imagine having fifty different sections to be reviewed. The user then has to make fifty copies, posting each copy at a different Web site and having the appropriate section blink when the document is accessed.
Thus, what is needed is an apparatus and method of using only one copy of a document and of highlighting particular sections of the document based on the reviewer.